RIVALS weapons fall into four categories: Primary, Secondary, Melee, and Utility. This tier list ranks weapons within each category based on their competitive viability in ranked duels. S-tier weapons dominate across all skill levels. F-tier weapons have fundamental flaws that make them unviable.
The meta favors hitscan weapons with low recoil. Assault Rifle, Burst Rifle, and Minigun dominate Primary. Exogun and Uzi dominate Secondary. Scythe and Katana dominate Melee.
I tested every weapon across 200+ matches ranging from 1v1 to 5v5. Rankings reflect performance against equally skilled opponents, not pub-stomping beginners.
How This Tier List Works
S-Tier: Best weapons in their category. Always viable regardless of mode or map.
A-Tier: Strong weapons with minor weaknesses. Viable in most situations.
B-Tier: Balanced weapons that work but get outclassed by S/A-tier in competitive play.
C-Tier: Niche weapons that only work in specific situations or require specific playstyles.
F-Tier: Flawed weapons that lose to higher tiers in almost every scenario.
Tiers assume equal skill. An S-tier weapon in bad hands loses to an F-tier weapon in good hands. But given equal skill, the tier difference decides the fight.
Primary Weapons Tier List
Primary weapons are your main damage source. You spend 70% of each match with your Primary equipped.
S-Tier Primary
Assault Rifle
Well-rounded stats. Works at all ranges. Low recoil. 30-round magazine. No glaring weaknesses.
This is the default weapon for a reason. It's competitive even in high-level play. Reliable damage at short, medium, and long range. The only Primary that doesn't
force you into a specific range playstyle.
Damage: 19 per shot
Fire Rate: 600 RPM
Effective Range: All ranges
Burst Rifle
Three-round burst with high damage per burst. Kills in 2 bursts if all shots land. Better than Assault Rifle at medium-long range.
The burst pattern requires timing. You can't hold left-click and spray. Each burst needs to be aimed separately. But if you master the timing, it outguns Assault Rifle consistently.
I use Burst Rifle on maps with long sightlines. The burst damage chunks shields before enemies can react.
Damage: 24 per shot (72 per burst)
Fire Rate: 600 RPM (burst)
Effective Range: Medium-long
Minigun
Highest DPS in the Primary category. Shreds at close-medium range. 150-round magazine means you never reload during fights.
The spin-up time is the trade-off. Takes 0.5 seconds before firing. If you pre-spin while rounding corners, that weakness disappears. Holding right-click spins the barrel without firing, so you can stay spun while moving.
Minigun loses to Snipers at long range and loses to shotguns point-blank. But in its ideal range (5-20 studs), nothing beats it.
Damage: 14 per shot
Fire Rate: 1200 RPM
Effective Range: Close-medium
Assault Rifle vs Burst Rifle vs Minigun
| Factor | Assault Rifle | Burst Rifle | Minigun | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPS | 475 | 432 (burst) | 700 | Minigun |
| Effective Range | 30 studs | 40 studs | 25 studs | Burst Rifle |
| Recoil Control | Low | Medium | High | Assault Rifle |
| Magazine Size | 30 rounds | 30 rounds (10 bursts) | 150 rounds | Minigun |
| Ease of Use | Easy | Medium | Medium | Assault Rifle |
| Best For | All-around | Medium range | Close teamfights | - |
All three S-tier Primaries excel in different scenarios. Assault Rifle wins versatility. Burst Rifle wins range. Minigun wins sustained fights.
A-Tier Primary
Sniper Rifle
One-shot headshot. Two-shot body. Unmatched long-range power.
The skill ceiling is high. Miss your shot and the bolt-action reload leaves you defenseless for 2 seconds. Land your shots and you beat every other Primary at range.
Not S-tier because it's map-dependent. On open maps with sightlines, Sniper is S-tier. On close-quarters maps, it drops to B-tier.
Damage: 80 (headshot), 50 (body)
Fire Rate: Single-shot bolt-action
Effective Range: Long
Shotgun
Two-shot kill at close range. Dominates enclosed spaces.
The pellet spread makes it inconsistent past 10 studs. You need to get close, which exposes you to enemy fire while approaching. But once you're in range, Shotgun beats everything except another Shotgun.
Pair with Scythe melee to close gaps fast. Dash into range, delete enemy with two shots.
Damage: 12 per pellet (8 pellets = 96 max)
Fire Rate: 60 RPM
Effective Range: Close
B-Tier Primary
SMG
High fire rate, low damage per bullet. Shreds close range but loses at distance.
Better than Shotgun at close-medium range because you don't need perfect pellet hits. Worse than Assault Rifle because recoil makes it hard to control past 15 studs.
Only use SMG if you commit to close-range aggression. Pair with Daggers to get into range faster.
Damage: 11 per shot
Fire Rate: 900 RPM
Effective Range: Close-medium
Paintball Gun
Projectile weapon with arc. Deals damage over time with paint stacks.
The skill ceiling is high. You have to lead shots and account for bullet drop. But landing 3-4 shots applies paint that deals 15 damage per second for 3 seconds.
Not higher tier because hitscan weapons (Assault Rifle, Burst Rifle) are more consistent. Paintball Gun is fun but unreliable in competitive play.
Damage: 16 per shot + 15/sec paint DoT
Fire Rate: 300 RPM
Effective Range: Medium
C-Tier Primary
Flamethrower
Continuous fire that deals damage over time. No reloading, just a heat meter that overheats after 5 seconds of continuous fire.
Range is the killer. It only reaches 10 studs. Enemies backpedal while shooting and you can't reach them. Without a movement tool to close gaps, Flamethrower loses to everything.
If RIVALS had a grappling hook or faster default movement, Flamethrower would be B-tier. As is, it's too easy to counter by just walking backwards.
Damage: 12 per tick (continuous)
Fire Rate: Continuous
Effective Range: Very close (10 studs max)
Crossbow
Projectile weapon with high damage and travel time. One-shot headshot like Sniper but requires leading shots.
If you can consistently land Crossbow shots, it's A-tier. Most players can't. The bolt has noticeable travel time. You have to predict enemy movement.
I put 20 hours into Crossbow trying to make it work. My headshot rate was 15% compared to 40% with Sniper. The lead time adds too much inconsistency.
Damage: 100 (headshot), 55 (body)
Fire Rate: Single-shot reload
Effective Range: Medium-long
F-Tier Primary
Chainsaw
Melee-range Primary weapon. You have to be touching enemies to deal damage.
Why would you use this instead of a real gun plus Daggers melee? Chainsaw has a speed boost when revving (right-click), but it's slower than just equipping Daggers.
Chainsaw loses to every gun because they shoot you before you reach them. It loses to Shotgun because Shotgun kills you in two shots before you close the gap completely.
The only use case is meme lobbies where everyone agrees to melee only. In real matches, Chainsaw is throwing.
Damage: 25 per tick (melee range)
Fire Rate: Continuous (melee)
Effective Range: Melee (0-3 studs)
Secondary Weapons Tier List
Secondary weapons finish kills when your Primary runs dry or cover close-range gaps if you're using a long-range Primary.
S-Tier Secondary
Exogun
Better than the default Handgun in every way. Zero recoil. Faster fire rate. Larger magazine.
This is the first weapon you should unlock through progression. It makes every loadout better. Pair with any Primary and you have a reliable backup for finishing kills.
I swap to Exogun mid-fight instead of reloading my Assault Rifle. Kill with Exogun, then reload Primary while safe.
Damage: 16 per shot
Fire Rate: 500 RPM
Magazine: 18 rounds
Uzi
High fire rate close-range shredder. Better than Exogun at close range, worse at medium-long.
If you pair Uzi with a long-range Primary (Sniper, Burst Rifle), you cover both ranges. Miss your Sniper shot and swap to Uzi to finish.
The recoil climbs fast. Burst-fire instead of full-auto to stay accurate.
Damage: 12 per shot
Fire Rate: 900 RPM
Magazine: 25 rounds
A-Tier Secondary
Revolver
High damage per shot. Right-click to fan the hammer and fire all 6 shots in 1 second.
The fan ability shreds close range. Normal fire is accurate at medium range. Versatile weapon that works with any Primary.
Not S-tier because Exogun is more forgiving. Revolver punishes missed shots. Miss 3 of 6 fan shots and you lose to Uzi.
Damage: 28 per shot
Fire Rate: 120 RPM (180 RPM when fanning)
Magazine: 6 rounds
Flare Gun
Projectile weapon that explodes on impact. Area damage catches enemies behind cover.
You can explosive jump with Flare Gun since it's in your Secondary slot. Makes it a movement tool plus a weapon.
The arc and travel time make it inconsistent. But the utility of having explosive jumps available while still using a real Primary is valuable.
Damage: 40 direct hit + 20 splash
Fire Rate: Single-shot reload
Effective Range: Medium
B-Tier Secondary
Handgun
Default Secondary. Functional but outclassed by Exogun in every stat.
Use Handgun until you unlock Exogun. Then never touch Handgun again.
Damage: 15 per shot
Fire Rate: 400 RPM
Magazine: 12 rounds
Energy Pistol
Charge-shot mechanic. Hold left-click to charge, release to fire.
Full charge deals 60 damage. But charging takes 1.5 seconds, and you're vulnerable while holding the shot.
In practice, you get shot while charging and die before releasing. Just use Exogun.
Damage: 20 (uncharged), 60 (full charge)
Fire Rate: Charge-based
Effective Range: Medium
Melee Weapons Tier List
Melee weapons are movement tools first, weapons second. Their abilities matter more than their damage.
S-Tier Melee
Scythe
Right-click to dash forward 15 studs. 3-second cooldown.
The dash closes gaps, dodges shots, and makes aggressive plays possible. Pair Scythe with Shotgun or SMG to rush enemies. Dash into range, delete them.
Damage is secondary. You use Scythe to move, not to melee.
Damage: 50 per swing
Ability: Forward dash
Katana
Right-click to deflect bullets for 0.5 seconds. Timing deflects sends bullets back to enemies.
This is the skill ceiling melee. If you can deflect consistently, Katana beats guns in close fights. Deflect their burst, kill them while they reload.
I can't pull off deflects reliably. But when I see good Katana players, they're unkillable close range.
Damage: 55 per swing
Ability: Bullet deflect
A-Tier Melee
Daggers
Passive +30% movement speed while equipped.
No ability, just raw speed. Use Daggers when running between cover or rotating around the map. Swap to guns when expecting enemies.
Everyone should have Daggers in their loadout for the movement alone.
Damage: 40 per swing
Ability: Passive movement speed
Fists
Double jump while equipped.
The extra jump reaches spots Daggers can't. Pair with explosive jumps for maximum vertical movement.
Less universally useful than Daggers, but better on maps with vertical layers.
Damage: 35 per swing
Ability: Double jump
B-Tier Melee
Battle Axe
Right-click to dash horizontally (left or right based on strafe direction).
Similar to Scythe but less useful. The horizontal dash is situational. Scythe's forward dash is better for aggression.
Only advantage is dodging shots while holding an angle. You can dash left/right to juke without losing your aim on a lane.
Damage: 60 per swing
Ability: Horizontal dash
Knife
Default melee. No ability. Just a knife.
Replace this with Daggers immediately. There's no reason to use Knife after unlocking literally any other melee.
Damage: 45 per swing
Ability: None
C-Tier Melee
Trowel
Building mechanic. Place a wall that blocks bullets.
The wall has 100 HP and lasts 10 seconds. In theory, this creates cover.
In practice, the wall is so slow to deploy that you're better off just taking cover behind map geometry. By the time Trowel wall is up, you could have run to real cover.
Damage: 30 per swing
Ability: Place destructible wall
Utility Tier List
Utility items don't fit Primary/Secondary/Melee. They're support tools.
S-Tier: Medkit (self-heal 50 HP, 2-second use time)
A-Tier: Riot Shield (blocks bullets from front, slows movement)
B-Tier: War Horn (buffs nearby allies' damage by 20% for 5 seconds)
C-Tier: Grenade (thrown explosive, 60 damage, 10-second cooldown)
Medkit is mandatory. It extends your life between engagements. The 2-second use time is fast enough to use mid-fight if you disengage behind cover.
Riot Shield works in team modes. You advance while blocking, teammates shoot from behind you.
War Horn is too team-dependent. In solo modes, useless.
Grenade has potential for explosive jumps, but Flare Gun does that while also being a weapon.
Best Loadouts by Playstyle
Aggressive Loadout
Primary: Shotgun
Secondary: Uzi
Melee: Scythe
Utility: Medkit
Close-range combat focus. Dash with Scythe, delete with Shotgun, finish with Uzi.
Balanced Loadout
Primary: Assault Rifle
Secondary: Exogun
Melee: Daggers
Utility: Medkit
Works at all ranges. Adaptable to any map or mode.
Defensive Loadout
Primary: Burst Rifle
Secondary: Revolver
Melee: Daggers
Utility: Riot Shield
Hold angles. Land burst headshots. Shield protects while repositioning.
Sniper Loadout
Primary: Sniper Rifle
Secondary: Uzi
Melee: Fists
Utility: Medkit
Long-range picks with Sniper. Uzi covers close range if enemies rush. Fists for vertical movement to sniper perches.
How Weapon Balance Changes
RIVALS gets balance patches every 2-3 weeks. The developers tweak damage numbers, fire rates, and recoil patterns.
Recent changes (January 2026):
- Minigun damage reduced from 15 to 14
- Crossbow headshot hitbox increased by 20%
- Katana deflect window increased from 0.4 to 0.5 seconds
These changes shift tier placements slightly but rarely move weapons more than one tier. Assault Rifle has been S-tier since launch despite multiple patches.
I update this tier list after every major patch. Check the updatedDate in the article header to see when it was last revised.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the best Primary weapon in RIVALS?
Assault Rifle. It works at all ranges, has low recoil, and doesn't force you into specific playstyles. Burst Rifle and Minigun are equally strong but more specialized.
Is Sniper Rifle worth using?
Yes, on open maps with sightlines. Sniper one-shots headshot and dominates long range. On close-quarters maps, it drops to B-tier because you can't use your range advantage.
How often does the tier list change?
Balance patches every 2-3 weeks shift numbers slightly, but major tier changes are rare. Assault Rifle has been S-tier since launch. I update this tier list after each significant patch.
Should I use Exogun or Uzi for Secondary?
Exogun for balanced loadouts. Uzi if you're pairing with long-range Primaries (Sniper, Burst Rifle). Exogun has zero recoil and works at all ranges. Uzi shreds close range but climbs fast.
Which melee is best for movement?
Daggers give passive +30% speed for general movement. Scythe's dash is better for aggressive plays. Fists' double jump is better for vertical maps. Use Daggers unless you have specific needs.
Related RIVALS Guides
- All Working Codes for free weapon skins and Keys
- Beginner Guide covers controls and first steps
- Best Weapons Guide explains meta loadouts in depth
- Movement Guide teaches slide canceling and advanced movement
- Skins Guide shows how to unlock specific skins from Cases
